CAPM® Prerequisites and Certification Process
In order to become a PMI certified Cerified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®), the best way forward is to follow the process described below. This process has been developed out of our experience with the CAPM® Certification Process and will guide you through all necessary steps you need to consider:
Check the Prerequisites
To be eligible for the PMP® Exam, you need to fulfill the following certification criteria:
- Gained 23 contact hours through PMI aligned project management training.
- OR at least 2500 hours of project management experience.
Start preparing
We recommend that you start preparing for your CAPM® Exam at least 3 months ahead. The following literature might be important for your preparation:
- PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition
Start having a look into your literature even before you think about attending a training in order to prepare for the CAPM® Exam and to gain the necessary 23 contact hours. Almost all CAPM® Certification Prep Trainings require you to at least having read the most up-to-date edition of the PMBOK® Guide.
Attend a training to get your 23 contact hours
Now it is time to look for a training in order to further prepare for your CAPM® Exam. A CAPM® Prep course will allow you to get a better insight on the CAPM® Exam itself and you will gain additional knowledge on important Methods used in the project management knowledge areas according to the PMI Standard.
We recommend to take the training as close as possible to the date you would like to take the exam. Modular CAPM® Prep Trainings or Distance Learning Programs can also allow you to benefit from our expert knowledge over a longer period.
Sign Up for the CAPM® Credential
As soon as you know when you will get the 23 contact hours from your CAPM® training you can start applying for the CAPM® Exam. In order to do so, follow these steps:
- Go to the PMI website (www.pmi.org) and create an account.
- Log into your account and apply for the CAPM® Exam.
- Enter the training id of your CAPM® Prep Training to document your 23 contact hours.
- Submit your application to the PMI.
Wait for Audit or Approval
Now it is time to wait for the PMI to answer. This normaly takes around 5 business days. 10% of all applications will be audited by the PMI in order to check if the submitted data on project management experience is true.
An audit is not a big deal as long as you filled out the application forms correctly.
Payment & Exam Scheduling
As soon as your application is accepted by the PMI, you will be asked to pay the certification fee.
This fee is 185,00 € for PMI Members and 250,00 € for Nonmembers.
As soon as the PMI receives your payment, PMI will notify you by e-mail and send you examination scheduling instructions for scheduling your exam date and location with at a Prometric Test Center (www.prometric.com) in order to attend a computer based test within the next 365 days. Just visit the Prometric website and schedule your personal exam date.
Paper based tests are only available for larger groups or companies. Get in touch with us if you want to organize a paper based test.
